Frusto-conical label and method of making the same



T. E. PIAZZE Feb. 1, 1966 FRUSTO-CONICAL LABEL AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed May 29, 1962 R mm mm o. & S A M o H T WWIM I m ATTORNEYS United States Patent m 3,232,469 FRUSTG-CONICAL LABEL AND METHQD OF MAKING THE SAME Thomas E. Piazza, Mount Vernon, ()hio, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 29, 1962, Ser. No. 198,487 Claims. (Cl. 215-38) This invention relates generally to labels for use in conjunction with bottled goods. The invention more specifically deals with novel frusto-conically shaped labels and a novel method of making the same, which labels are inexpensive, durable and of such construction that they will be properly spaced one from another when placed in the nested, stacked arrangement useful in the mechanical placement of the labels over bottles with which they are to be associated.

In the beverage'industry, ithas become popular to place a covering structure over the tops of bottles or comparable containers. Such structures serve as distinctive emblems or labels which, after becoming recognized as being associated with a particular product, function as inexpensive and desirable means of identification. Thus, when a prospective beverage purchaser recognizes the distinctive top label of a particular manufacturers product, he or she will be more strongly motivated to call for this particular product by name and thus the label serves in the accomplishment of the manufacturers aims.

Such top label structures not only serve as product identification means, but further assure the ultimate consumer of receiving a beverage free from dust or chance bacteria that could have settled on the top of the bottle during its shipment and storage. This additional use of top labels in assuring the cleanliness of the top portions of bottles becomes increasingly significant and important when the contents of the bottle are consumed during a direct contact by the lips of the ultimate user.

Primarily, the shape of the top labels has been frustoconical and they have been thus associated in advantageous use with crown-capped bottles having similarly shaped neck portions. These novel labels are normally formed from a conventional light gage sheet material in either single thickness or laminated form. When in laminated form, the outside laminate may be of a thin metallic or metalized foil and the labels maybe of a distinctive color and/or may have informative and advertising material printed thereon.

As these labels are in one aspect for purposes of display, it is, therefore, important that they be of such construction that they will not be easily distorted or damaged in transit, either when mounted as a covering for the bottles with which they are used or when shipped or handled separately. A serious problem previously experienced in the art, was the fact that the small end of known labels of the type here under consideration became distorted or crumpled during handling and thus presented an undesirable appearance on the bottles containing a manufacturers product. v

In applying labels of the type here under consideration in telescoped position over the tops of bottles, it is customary to align a stack of these labels in nested, stacked relation to each other in a convenient position alongside an area of the bottling plant Where the bottles have already been fiiled and capped. It is believed obvious that when labels of this general type are stacked in nested arrangement, their open conical ends will be very closely spaced and thus will have a tendency to stick one within another. This condition presents a problem when it is important that the labels be readily separated from each other preparatory to placement over the tops of capped bottles, and this is especially true when mechanical grip- 3,232,459 Patented Feb. 1, 19(56 It is also an object of the invention to provide a frust-o- V conical label which when arranged in nested, stacked re lation with other like labels will be adequately spaced from the other labels in the stack so that a single label,

may be easily separated from the nested stack by mechanical means such as gripper or feeder fingers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frustoconical label formed of three originally separate components of sheet material which are integrally secured together to present a label structure having a frusto-conical body, a rigiddisk disposed in the small end of the conical body and over and about which portions of the body engage and are secured whereby the disk serves as a spacer to space the labels in a nested stack arrangement one from the other, and further reinforces and prevents damage to the small end of the label during handling,

and therefore aids in retention of the labels originally formed shape. 7

Still another object of the invention is the provision of,

a label having a fiusto-conical body, a rigiddisk disposed within the small end of the body and defi'ning the size of said end, portions of the body overlyingand being secured to the disk, and a second disk overlying and being secured to said overlying body portions whereby the rigid disk serves to space several like conical labels in nested stack arrangement one from the other and to further maintain a circular flat condition of the small end extrem ity of the label. v A further object of the invention is the provision of a label of the character stated wherein the rigid disk has a thickness substantially greater than that of the material comprising the body and the second disk, thereby to provide means by which several like labels in nested stack arrangement are held spaced one from another.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a method of making an improved frusto-conical label,

which method comprises temporarily supporting a rigid disk on a form or mandrel, providing a frusto-cone of sheet material on the mandrel and extending a distance beyond and the disk thereon in position so that the small end of the intended frusto-conical structure will be de fined by the rigid disk, turning portions of the frusto-cone which extend past the rigid disk inwardly over and onto the rigid disk, and securing the turned in portions to the disk.

A still further object of the invention 'is to provide a method of forming an improved frusto-conical label for use on a bottle, which method comprises temporarily holding a rigid disk on the small end of a frusto-conically shaped mandrel, wrapping a label blank of sheet material about the mandrel so as to form a frusto-conical body having a small end which extends slightly past the rigid disk, turning over the extended small end portion of the frusto-cone' inwardly over and onto the rigid disk, and securing a second disk over the inwardly turned end portions of the frusto-conical body.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing.

IN THE DRANVING:

FlGURE 1 is a somewhat schematic view showing one stage in the method of producing the label of the present invention with parts of the label shown in section and a supporting mandrel shown in phantom.

FIGURE 2 is a partial perspective view of the small end of the frusto-cone body and shows in particular the relation of the turned over serrations with the rigid disk.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the completed label, the thick and rigid inner disk being shown in elevation.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing several labels in nested, stacked arrangement, the effect of the spacer disks in spacing the nested labels being illustrated.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the mounting of a label upon a crown capped bottle.

FIGURE 6 is an edge view illustrating a spacer disk formed of corrugated paper.

Referring to the drawing, and in particular to FIGURE 4 thereof, there is shown a group of labels 10 in nested, stack arrangement. Each frusto-conical label 10 is made up of a body 11, a rigid spacer and body end reinforcing disk 12 and a second or finishing disk 13. The body 11 is provided with a wide open bottle neck receiving end 14, and the arrangement of the rigid disk 12 and the second disk 13 in and on the body provides a closed small end 15.

Portions 16 of the cone body 11 which are provided at the small end thereof overlie and are secured to the rigid disk 12. These portions 16 may be in the form of somewhat triangular serrations, as best shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, so as to facilitate the folding or turning in of these serrations 16 about and over the rigid disk 12, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The second disk 13 concentrically overlies the small end of the label, as indicated at 15, and serves as a finishing disk, covering from observation both the portions 16 and that portion of the rigid disk 12 which the portions 16 do not engage and cover. The final or finished frusto-conical label 10 is of a unitary structure, it being clear that the body 11, the rigid disk 12, and the second disk 13 are adhered in assembly to provide a neat and attractive one-piece appearance.

The relation of one label 10 with other like label in nested, stacked condition is believe-d best illustrated by FIGURE 4 of the drawing, wherein it is clearly shown that the rigid disk 12 serves to satisfactorily space the small ends of the nested labels apart from each other, and as the result thereof, their large open ends 14 are also correspondingly spaced from each other. Thus the distance by which any one label 10 extends beyond another when such labels are in nested relation so as to provide an adequate clear edge by "which mechanical fingers may satisfactorily grasp and remove one label 10 from its nested arrangement is dependent upon the thickness of the rigid disk 12; it being clear that the distance by which one label 10 extends beyond the label in which it is nested is the distance the labels are separated from each other by the interposed rigid disk 12 at the small end thereof. This distance is represented at X in FIG- URE 4 of the drawing, wherein it is made clear that the thickness of the respective rigid disks 12 must be equal so as to properly space the individual labels 10 one within another and assure satisfactory removal one from the other when in nested, stacked arrangement by mechanical gripping elements or fingers.

It should also be apparent that the rigid disk 12 serves to protect the small end of the label 10 against distortion, crumpling or from other like damage during its handling, either in single or nested, stack arrangement. Each label 10 then may be suitably placed over the top of a bottle as best shown in FIGURE 5, thus to serve as both a protective and a decorative element which is of simple and inexpensive structure, yet capable of suitably maintaining its desired configuration to present a neat,

attractive and distinctive appearance to a manufacturers bottled product.

Referring to FIGURE 5, the label 10 is shown in the desired position on a bottle 17 having a conical neck portion 18 and a crown cap 19, and it will be apparent that the label telescoped over the neck substantially conforms thereto. It is therein apparent that the inner face of the rigid disk 12 is in contact with and supported by the crown cap 19. Also, the inner walls of the body 11 are in contact with and further supported by the neck portion of the bottle 17.

The large open ends 14 of the bodies are provided with tab means 20 which serve both as further decoration and also, when bent or folded to a position normal to the axis of a frusto-conical body 11, as removal tab means which may be grasped by the fingers of the ultimate consumer so as to facilitate removal of the labels from the bottle whereon they are mounted.

In FIGURES 1-3 of the drawing, the method of forming the labels 10 shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings is illustrated. As is best shown in FIGURE 1, the rigid disk 12 is placed and supported on a mandrel which is shown in phantom in FIGURE 1 and which has a shape corresponding to the inside shape of the frusto-conical body 11. The body 11, preferably preformed, and provided with serrations 16 which extend along the short distance beyond its intended small end extremity as shown in FIGURE 1, is placed over the mandrel 21 and the rigid disk 12 in such a manner so as to be engaged by the periphery of the rigid disk 12 in the area proximal to the beginning or roots of the serrations 16. The preformed fr-usto-conical body is thus supported by the mandrel 21 and the disk 12 supported thereon. It should be noted that there may be times when it is not desirable to preform the frusto-conical body 11 before placing it on the mandrel. Instead, material forming a body blank may be wrapped around the mandrel 21 to thus form the body 11 in situ upon the mandrel. It will be apparent that in the latter cases the frusto-conical shape of the mandrel 21 is necessary, and that in those cases wherein the body 11 placed on the mandrel has been preformed, the mandrel shape is less critical and need not conform exactly to the intended internal shaping of the body 11 but rather may take the form of merely a centrally located support positioned concentrically in contact with the rigid disk 12 and having a like area at its disk contacting surface. In either case, however, means is provided on the mandrel 21 for temporarily securing the rigid disk 12 thereto.

One such means that has met with particularly success in the present process is the provision of a centrally located channel or duct 22 through which a vacuum may be drawn from a suitable source (not shown), thereby to temporarily hold the rigid disk 12 on the opposing end of the mandrel 21.

In the practicing of the method, a suitable adhesive is then applied to the outer surface of the disk 12, and the serrations or extensions 16 on the frusto-conical body 11 are folded to overlie and contact portions of the rigid disk 12 and be secured thereto through the adhesive medium. In this manner, the rigid disk 12 serves as the actual member about which the small end of the frusto-conical body 11 is folded so as to provide the desired flat circular appearance. The rigid disk 12 therefore may in a sense be considered a mandrel or part thereof; the mandrel 21 proper, under such consideration being a supporting member for the rigid disk 12. This. is especially so in those cases wherein the body 11 when. placed on the mandrel is of preformed shape and thus. does not necessitate the use of a frusto-conically shaped? supporting member or mandrel 21 conforming in shape: to the body walls.

Further, suitable adhesive is then applied to the outwardly presented surfaces of the extensions or serrations.

5 16, and/then the second disk 13 is concentrically placed over and adhered to the serrations to complete the frusto-conical body 11, as best shown in FIGURE 3.

It should also be brought out at this point that the central portions of the second disk 13 which do not overlie the folded-over serrations 16 and are not adhered thereto may be in actual contact with and adhered to the opposing surface of the rigid disk 12. In other words, the second disk 13 may be provided with central depressed port-ions which further become secured to the rigid disk 12.

Thus, there is formed a fnisto-conical label embodying the objective features of the present invention; a label which is of simple and inexpensive construction and yet may be stacked in nested arrangement and be suitably spaced one from another. The resultant label is also reinforced and maintained in a condition which presents a circular flat small end portion which is not easily distorted or crumpled during handling. These features areprimarily accomplished by the coaction of the rigid disk 12 in conjunction with the frusto-conical body 11 and the second disk 13 thus to prevent hitherto unobtainable' frusto-conical label which accomplishes the beforementioned objects of the invention. Not only is a desirable and novel end product now made available for widespread use in the bottling industry, but there is herein disclosed a novel method of preparing this product, included in which is the feature of utilizing one of the actual components of the structurebeing formed as the forming body or mandrel about which the small end ofthe frustoconical label is shaped.

It should also be brought out that the frusto-conical label may be formed wholly of paper material, as by use of single or laminated sheeting for the frusto-conical body 11 and the second disk 13, while making use of corrugated paper for the rigid disk 12. Also, the label may be formed of thermoplastic sheet material such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terepthalate, polyethylene, etc. and in such cases, suitable heat sealing operations would re place the use of suitable adhesives. In either case, the outer surfaces of the labels may be provided with decorative or advertising material with metal foil laminate, be metallized and have variously colored aspects.

In FIGURE 6 of the drawing, there is illustrated the modified spacer disk formed of corrugated paper, the same being designated 12*.

It is to be understood that the specific examples herein disclosed are not intended to be solely restrictive, and that the invention may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A frusto-conicai label having a closed upper small end and an open bottom, said label being formed of sheet material and comprising a frusto-conical body, a rigid disk disposed within said body across the upper small end thereof closing the same, said rigid disk defining the diameter of thesmallend of said label, portions of said body overlying, and secured to saidrigid disk, and a second disk exteriorly overlying and secured to the small end of said body, said rigid disk serving to reinforce the small end of the label against crushing or deformation and to maintain a circular fiat condition thereof, and also being effective when the label is nested in another like label to space the label bodies apart and indicia means on an external surface of said body occupying a normally upright position when said label is applied to the neck portion of a bottle with the closed upper small end of the label in an uppermost position.

2. A frusto-conical label formed of sheet material and comprising a frusto-conical body, a rigid disk disposed within said body across the small end thereof, portions of the small end of said body being folded over against and secured to said rigid disk, said rigid disk defining a circular fiat shape at the small end of said label, and a second disk overlying and secured to said end of the body, said rigid disk having a thickness substantially d greater than that of the material of said body and said second disk whereby when several like labels are nested in stack arrangement the rigid disk in one body will contact the small end of a body in nested relation and the bodies thereof will be spaced one from another and indicia means on an external surface of said body occupying a normally upright position when said label is applied to the neck portion of a bottle with the closed upper small end of the label in an uppermost position.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the frusto-conical body and the second disk are formed from light gage paper sheeting, the rigid disk is formed of corrugated paper and said rigid disk, said second disk and said conical body are adhesively secured together.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the portions of the body overlying and secured to the rigid disk are in the form of serration-like generally triangular extensions from the body.

5.-The structure of claim 2 wherein the. portions of the small end of the body are in the form of serrationlike generally triangular extensions from the body.

6. The structure of. claim 1 wherein the portions of the body overlying and secured to the rigid disk are in the form of serration-like generally triangular extensions from the body, and wherein the second disk also is secured to the rigid disk through spaces between said extensions.

7. The structure of claim 2 wherein the portions of the small end of the body are in the form of serration like generally triangular extensions from the body, and wherein the second disk also is secured to the rigid disk through spaces between said extensions.

8. In combination, a bottle having a frusto-conically shapedneck portion and a crown cap, a. frusto-conical label telescoped over and supported by said crown cap and said frusto-conically shaped neck portion and conforming in shape to said neck portion, said frusto-conical label beingformed of sheet material and comprising a frusto-conical body, 'a rigid disk disposed within said frusto-conical body across the small end thereof, portions of the small end of the body being folded over and against a and secured to said. rigid disk, said rigid disk defining a circular flat shape at the small end of, said label, and a second disk exteriorly overlying and secured to the small end of the body, said rigid disk being formed of sheet material having a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of each of said body and second disk.

9. The method of making an improvedfrusto-conical structure-for use as a label for placement over the closure cap and frusto-conically shaped neck of a bottle, said structure being formed from three initially separate components of sheet material which are integrally joined together, said method comprising temporarily supporting a rigid disk of sheet material so as to provide a form over which a preformed frusto-cone of sheet material is placed so that the small end size of the desired frusto-conical structure is defined by said disk, turning portions of the frusto-cone which extend beyond the rigid disk inwardly over and onto the surface of the rigid disk, securing said inwardly turned portions to the opposing surface of the rigid disk, and securing a second disk to the small end of the frusto-cone so as to overlie said rigid disk and said inwardly turnedportions of the frusto-cone.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said rigid disk is temporarily supported on a supporting element by means of a drawn vacuum.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the initially separate components are formed of themoplastic resin material and the integral joining together thereof is by heat sealing.

12. The method of making an improved frusto-conical structure for use as a label for placement over the closure cap and fnusto-conically shaped neck of a bottle, said structure being formed from three initially separate components of sheet material which are integrally joined together, said method comprising temporarily supporting a rigid disk of sheet material so as to provide a form over which a preformed frusto-cone of sheet material is placed so'that the small end size of the desired frusto-conical structure is defined by said disk, applying an adhesive to the outer face of the rigid disk, turning portions of the frusto-cone which extend beyond the rigid disk inwardly over and onto the adhesive bearing surface of said rigid disk, applying an adhesive to the outer surfaces of said inwardly turned frusto-conical portions, and securing a second disk to the adhesive bearing surfaces of said inwardly turned portions of the fnusto-cone.

13. The method of making an improved frusto-conical structure for use as a label for placement over the closure cap and frusto-conically shaped neck of a bottle, said structure being formed from three initially separate components of sheet material which are integrally joined together, said method comprising temporarily holding a rigid disk of sheet material on the narrow end of a frustoconically shaped mandrel, wrapping a label blank of sheet material about the mandrel so as to form a frusto-cone having a small end which extends slightly beyond the rigid disk, turning the extended end portion of the frustocone inwardly over and onto the opposing surface of said rigid disk, securing said inwardly turned frusto-cone portions to the rigid disk, and securing a second-disk to said inwardly turned portions of the frusto-cone.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein said first disk is temporarily held to said mandrel by means of a drawn vacuum.

15. The method of making an improved frusto-conical structure for use as a label for placement over the closure cap and frusto-conically shaped neck of a bottle, said structure being formed from three initially separate components of sheet material which are integrally joined together, said method comprising temporarily supporting a rigid disk of sheet material so as to provide a form over which a preformed frusto-cone of sheet material is placed so that the small end size of the desired frusto-conical structure is defined by the rigid disk, applying an adhesive to the outer face of the rigid disk, turning portions of the frusto-cone which extend beyond the rigid disk inwardly over and onto the adhesive bearing surface of said rigid disk, and securing a second disk to the portions of said rigid disk uncovered by said inwardly turned portions of the frusto-cone.

16. The method of making an improved frusto-conical structure for use as a label for placement over the closure cap and frusto-conically shaped neck of a bottle, said structure being formed from three initially separate components of sheet material which are integrally joined together, said method comprising temporarily supporting a rigid disk of sheet material so as to provide a form over which a preformed frusto-cone of sheet material is placed so that the small end size of the desired frusto-conical structure is defined by the rigid disk, said frusto-cone having its small end extremity provided with serrationlike extensions which extend beyond the rigid disk, applying an adhesive to the outer face of the rigid disk, turning said extensions inwardly over and onto the adhesive bearing surface of the rigid disk, and securing a second disk to said extensions and portions of the rigid disk not engaged by said extension.

17. The method of making an improved frusto-oonical structure for use as a label for placement over the closure cap and frusto-conically shaped neck of a bottle, said structure being formed from three initially separate components of sheet material which are integrally joined together, said method comprising temporarily holding a rigid disk of sheet material on the narrow end of a frustoconica-lly shaped mandrel, wrapping a label blank of sheet material about the mandrel so as to form a frusto-cone having a small end which extends slightly beyond the rigid disk and is provided with serration-like terminal portions, turning the serration-like terminal portions inwardly over and onto and securing them to the opposing surface of the rigid disk, and securing a second disk to said inwardly turned serration-like portions and to the rigid disk where it is not engaged and covered by said serrationlike portions.

18. The structure of claim 1 wherein the open bottom of the body is provided with removal means to facilitate the removal of the label from a container upon which the label is adapted to be mounted.

19. The combination as defined in claim 8 wherein said body terminates at a bottom end and an integral tab projects beyond the bottom end to facilitate the removal of the label from the bottle. I

20. A frusto-conical label having a closed upper small end and an open bottom, said label being formed of sheet material and comprising a frusto-conical body, a rigid disk disposed within said body across the upper small end thereof closing the same, said rigid disk defining a diameter of the small end of said label, portions of said body overlying and secured-to said rigid disk, a second disk exteriorly overlying and secured to the small end of said body, said rigid disk serving to reinforce the small end of the label against crushing or deformation and to maintain a circular flat condition thereof, said frustoconical body terminating in a lowermost peripheral edge at said open bottom, and an integral tab projecting beyond said edge to facilitate the removal of the label from a container upon which the label is adapted to be mounted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 315,896 4/1885 Brenton 2,29-4.5 1,299,031 4/ 1919 Reynolds 9394 1,638,035 8/1927 Hulbert 9336 1,790,299 1/ 1931 Foreman 22989 1,886,347 11/1932 McAvoy 215-38 2,003,307 6/1935 Pityo et al. 21538 2,114,395 4/ 1938 Logan 2294.5 2,141,833 12/1938 Young.

2,808,168 10/ 1957 Majer 220-97 FOREIGN PATENTS 439,310 4/1912 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

2. A FRUSTO-CONICAL LABEL FORMED OF SHEET MATERIAL AND COMPRISING A FRUSTO-CONICAL BODY, A RIGID DISK DISPOSED WITHIN SAID BODY ACROSS THE SMALL END THEREOF, PORTIONS OF THE SMALL END OF SAID BODY BEING FOLDED OVER AGAINST AND SECURED TO SAID RIGID DISK, SAID RIGID DISK DEFINING A CIRCULAR FLAT SHAPE AT THE SMALL END OF SAID LABEL, AND A SECOND DISK OVERLYING AND SECURED TO SAID END OF THE BODY, SAID RIGID DISK HAVING A THICKNESS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THAT OF THE MATERIAL OF SAID BODY AND SAID SECOND DISK WHEREBY WHEN SEVERAL LIKE LABELS ARE NESTED IN STACK ARRANGEMENT THE RIGID DISK IN ONE BODY WILL CONTACT THE SMALL END OF A BODY IN NESTED RELATION AND THE BODIES THEREOF WILL BE SPACED ONE FROM ANOTHER AND INDICIA MEANS ON AN EXTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID BODY OCCUPYING A NORMALLY UPRIGHT POSITION WHEN SAID LABEL IS APPLIED TO THE NECK PORTION OF A BOTTLE WITH THE CLOSED UPPER SMALL END OF THE LABEL IN AN UPPERMOST POSITION. 